This is the third (and possibly final) book in the 'Devil You Know' series, and I feel like it is the weakest of the bunch. The story was not that compelling, the characters bordered on unlikeable, and I just didn't feel as invested as I did with the first two.

However, that is not to say I didn't enjoy this book. It definitely had some great moments, and of course the steamy scenes were excellent (Kerrigan Byrne is a master at these). And even though it's third in the series, there's not much you miss if you haven't read the first two. It could stand on it's own.

Overall, it's a good conclusion to the trilogy, and if you are a fan of Kerrigan Byrne you should pick it up.

Francesca Cavendish, Countess of Monte Claire, is on a secret mission to infiltrate the organization responsible for the massacre of her family years ago. As the sole survivor, she bides her time while plotting revenge and masquerading as a rich, carefree, often promiscuous countess. But appearances can be deceiving. Only the other Red Rogues, her two best friends since childhood and their spouses, know her darkest secret. In short, Francesca is a powerful, justice-wielding warrior - one who is in dismay at having drawn the attention of the man called the Devil of Dorset. Unbeknownst to Francesca, the "Devil" is harboring secrets of his own. One of the Crown's secret weapons, he too is on a mission to expose and bring down the evil Crimson Council. Powerful, protective, gruff, he's a man just as horrified as the Countess at the intense physical attraction sizzling between them. Both loners, neither has the time nor inclination for romance and thus they snarl and snap at each other, denying their attraction and true identities for as long as they can. When secrets escape, chaos ensues and everything comes crashing down. What will happen when their past catches up to them? Who will survive?

The Devil In Her Bed is a dark historical romance overflowing with a wide range of emotion. I love a dark damaged hero and readers certainly get one in the Devil of Dorset whose true identity is in question. They also get a damaged yet strong, determined heroine in Countess Francesca. I enjoyed the tenacity and determination of both characters as they battled wits. Deceit, secrets, danger, passion all combine to drive this suspenseful story at a frantic pace to several revelations that will rock each character's world and surprise some readers. Byrne's brilliant rendering of this powerful story kept me turning pages even after some secrets are revealed - some I guessed, some I didn't. All in all, I found this to be the perfect ending to a fantastic series. The Devil In Her Bed is the third and final book in the Devil You Know trilogy featuring three friends and their search for truth, love and happiness. Since these stories really build upon each other, I highly advise starting with book one and working your way through to this one. Highly recommended to fans of suspense and historical romance.

What a wrap up to the Red Rogue's stories! This was darker than the rest and gritty and oh so good! My heart broke for Francesca and I really think Chandler should have groveled more than he did lol But overall, a fantastic story. Kerrigan Byrne got a new fan with this series 😀

Lady Francesca Cavendish lives her life for revenge. Twenty years ago her home was destroyed and everyone she loved was murdered. After all this time, everything leads to The Crimson Council. A trained deadly weapon, she seduces men to find the leaders. The Devil of Dorset is one of the crowns most dangerous weapons. He's a master of disguise never revealing his true identity. Bringing down The Crimson Council is his mission. As Francesca gets closer to the Council, Dorset warns her off. Each obsessed with revenge, their passion for each other explodes. Secret identities will be the final make or break. A dark, dark romance brings an exceptionally good series to a close.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

Devilish indeed!

The last unattached member of the Red Rogue Society, Lady Francesca Cavendish, Countess of Mont Claire, is continuing the battle with the Crimson Council. Using her attractions to sway men attached to the group to reveal their secrets.
The story of this strong dangerous woman that is Francesca, how she arrived here is riveting. Past and present intersect with her story to give us a violent, daring epistle laced with hope.
I loved Francesca’s comittment, her fearlessness to avenge those she loved and lost.
I admired the almost ninja / Mata Hari type she’s become in that endeavour, her singleminded focus—a warrior queen. Her ability to remain cool and focused in dangerous situations is part of who she is.
The way she takes charge and makes decisions even in the most passionate of moments is telling.
I was drawn to the ferocity and fire that’s Declan Chandler aka the Devil of Dorset, and the past that has shaped him into the now.
I just wish he’d given time, or they’d both had time for confessions. Always something interrupted that process, naturally building the tension, but I was always silently urging them to listen to each other. They didn’t!
I felt Francesca’s two Rogue sisters could have been more supportive, but I was touched to see Ramsay (Lord Cassius Gerard Ramsay—engaged to Rogue Cecelia) going into bat for Francesca and his acceptance of her.
I felt decidedly queasy at some parts of the story—yet those occasions do form the background of evil at work.
Chandler and Francesca, the tiger and the dragon rise Phoenix like from the ashes of their childhood but it’s a close, hard fought thing.

A St. Martin's Press ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Francesca and Chandler’s story in The Devil in Her Bed by Kerrigan Bryne, book three in her Devil You Know series, is an amazing story with all the feels, love, intrigue and emotions. Francesca Cavendish is not who she seems to be; living a life of deception. Truthfully, she was actually Pippa, the daughter of staff at Mont Claire, until an unnamed enemy destroyed the home and killing the people living there; in front of Pip’s eyes. Somehow, Pip and the cook escaped, with a few battle scars. Encouraged by the cook to assume the identity of her friend Francesca in order to seek the truth behind this massacre and find revenge for her friends and family. While growing up, she went to a prestigious boarding school, where she met her best friends and formed the Red Rogues, and then to university. These three women, sisters of the heart, will stop at nothing to help one another. Chandler Beaufort de Clanforth-Kenway was a man of many faces and names; having already suffered death twice. Working the secret service to the crown, the Devil of Dorset, as they called him, was a man of deception and power. Moving among the shadows, back alleys, and ballrooms, nothing will stop him from finding the enemies of the crown. One women, has caught his eye, the beautiful Countess of Mont Claire, and she just might tear his whole world apart. Francesca is out to find those responsible for the death of her family; never expecting to be in the path of the devil, himself; the Earl of Devlin. Her attraction to Chandler has become a luxury she can no longer afford as she narrows in on her enemy. These two were always meant to be together, with or without their disguises; now they need to survive the destruction of their enemy, the one who destroyed their former lives.

Ms. Byrne wrote an amazing story based on heartbreaking circumstances to her hero and heroine. She provided an emotional, romantic, and sizzling, tale that was the perfect balance of sweet, yet suspenseful giving Francesca and Chandler, with the help of their friends, a chance for happiness, love and a future together. I definitely recommend The Devil in Her Bed to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

This was an extravagant, exciting, tumultuous love story. Although macabre at times, there is a purity in the couple’s love that transcends the horrors in their past and present. Their all-encompassing passion burns off the page. The unrequited love was both haunting and hopeful; it made you yearn for the couple’s happiness.

Both Francesca and Declan had such tragic lives. The way they overcame their pasts through vengeance was heartbreaking. Their emotions were raw and believable. There was such an inner beauty to Francesca. I admired her strength and empowerment. She was portrayed as a strong, capable woman, which is refreshing in a genre full of debutantes and wallflowers. Declan’s raw physicality and sensuality were perfectly portrayed. He was an enigmatic, vivid character. Both Declan and Francesca’s personalities carried the plot through all the turmoil. The secondary characters were raw and haunting. The villain gave me nightmares. He was terror personified. He was a scene-stealing monster of a man. He fit so well into the story.

The plot handled the violence and tragedy eloquently. The innocence of their love was intertwined within all the malevolent undercurrents. The story moved at a lightning pace, capturing my attention on page one. All the deceit became complicated at times but was resolved very nicely. Overall the story was overflowing with passion, obstacles, and action. I felt a sense of closure at the end, which was pleasant.

After all the horror and trials the couple experienced, I would have liked an extended conclusion. An epilogue would have been good, being this is the last book in a trilogy. I would have liked to see more of the couple’s future love story. That being said, it was overall an incredible story. So intricate and complex. It mixed the passion and tragedy perfectly. The love the two eventually shared melted my heart. It was an excellent way to complete a terrific trilogy. A must-read!

I received an ARC of the book through Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press, this is my honest, voluntary opinion.

After years of searching for the people that massacred her family and everyone she loved, Francesca Cavendish, the Countess of Mont Claire is finally close to getting answers and hopeful vengeance! But her quest for answers will lead to surprises that she could never imagine and will threaten not only her long-held secrets and her life, but possibility her heart as well.

Francesca is not the only one looking for answers. Chandler Alquist, also known as the Devil of Dorset, is a man of shadows who goes by many names and is a spy in the Secret Service and has been investigating the Mont Claire massacre for years and he is sure that Francesca is a fraud. He believes this because he was there that fateful day and knows that Francesca was murdered, but what he doesn’t know is who this woman is that is pretending to be the girl he once loved with his whole young heart or what she is up to, but make no mistake, he plans to find out!

These two play a deep game of deception and dance around one another, but eventually they have a confrontation and nothing can prepare them for the shock and joy of learning that they both survived that awful day. Once he realizes Francesca is alive, he will stop at nothing to keep her that way – he demands that she stop digging into cult known as the Crimson Council and the events of that day and tries his best to keep her safe – but Chandler doesn’t seem to realize that the girl he loved did die that day and the woman she is now is more than capable of battling demons – something she takes great delight in proving to him time and again.

This was an amazing, well-written, nicely-paced read that finally gives readers of the series all the answers that they have been longing for as well as some that they didn’t even know they needed to ask! The book is chocked full of secrets, lies, murder, evil, steamy love scenes, horrific deeds, great characters, cameos from the other Red Rogues and their spouses, surprising twists, and shocking revelations before finally giving Chandler and Francesca closure and a well-deserved HEA. This book is the third and final book in the trilogy and while it could be read as a standalone title, I would recommend reading the books in order for maximum enjoyment.

Byrne’s has struck it out of the park again with “The Devil in Her Bed”, the final book in the “Devil You Know” trilogy centering around her three ‘Red Rogues’.

In “The Devil in Her Bed” Byrne proves yet again she is the master of the hidden identities trope. So if you were a fan of her “The Highwayman”, then you will doubly love this book because both her hero and heroine are employing secret identities.

I want to be careful to avoid spoilers, but this book really does have something in it for anyone who is looking for an action packed, high drama tale of spies, secret societies, angst, first loves, hidden identities, betrayals, and finally HEAs. Those looking for a sweet, low drama, love story... well Byrne is probably never going to be your author, that really isn’t her thing.

I do recommend reading the previous two books in the trilogy first prior to taking on “The Devil in Her Bed” for you to have maximum enjoyment and to avoid spoilers from the previous two books. Each of these books definitely builds on the previous in terms of the Red Rogues pursuit of uncovering the Crimson Council.

Finally, I need to thank and disclose that NetGalley sent me an ARC copy of this book for me to early read and provide my unbiased feedback on. All of the above opinions are my own.

INTENSE! This story reminds me of the days of The Highwayman. Man is this book powerful which makes this story a must read if you love angst, which I definitely do. I felt as if I was hunched over the entire time reading. I could not wait to see what happened next and if secrets would be revealed. Chandler and Francesca are so focused on their goal that they almost miss each other along the way. Kerrigan writes Francesca with grit and determination. Both Chandler and Francesca are broken characters who beg to be heard and reach out to us to forgive. The girls of the Red Rogue Society are special. An amazing, fantastic read. Go, get it and be amazed.

The Devil in Her Bed is the third and last book in The Devil You Know Series. Each book can be read as a stand-alone but I feel like reading them in order is necessary in order to understand all the twists. Pippa Hargrave survived the horrible night of the Mont Claire massacre when her family and friends were murdered. She thought everyone else had died and she wanted revenge against the murderers. She takes up the identity of her dead friend Francesca Cavendish, Countess of Mont Claire, and plans her revenge. Declan Chandler was a master at disguises and was called the Devil of Dorset. He works for the unofficial Secret Service and his mission was to shut down the Crimson Council and their threat to the Crown. I really enjoyed the series, but I like the first two books more. The characters were all wonderful but Chandler was hard for me to like. He was known as a great spy but never caught the hints Francesca gave him. The book was fast-paced and full of mystery. The twists and turns kept my attention and the ending was surprising.

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

Romantic with a touch of suspense, not like you would expect in a romantic-suspense, but enough to make this fan of that genre happy, entertained and engaged with the romantic story. The prose - No one writes prose like Kerrigan Byrne. A little over the top at times, but absolute poetry at others. I loved Francesca and Chandler's (view spoiler)tale that had all the twists and turns of a good truly twisty labyrinth. There were times my heart just broke for them.

The Red Rogues were three girls who banded together in finishing school and shared their life altering secrets to forge a lifelong friendship. They pledged to live their lives and not bow to societies dictates. Two have found true love and resolved the secrets from their youth. Now, it's Francesca's turn. She has been on a quest to see justice for the murders of her family. She vowed to do whatever it took and she is finally at the point of seeing it done. The only thing standing in her way is the red hot attraction she has for a man that is a true enigma and very dangerous to her mission, even though it appears he may be on a quest of his own.

I enjoyed the writing and read, but would’ve much preferred the heroine come clean about her true identity once she discovered Chandler’s true identity. While they’re both keeping secrets, his is about his ancient past. It felt like his secrets were to protect her (by not increasing her interest in society). Her’s, on the other hand, felt entirely self-serving.

I received an ARC of this book, from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Holy cow, Kerrigan Byrne can tell a story! 'The Devil in Her Bed' is a book you simply cannot put down and walk away from. It's captivating. Filled with mystery, intrigue, and revenge, Chandler and Francesca's story absolutely tore me apart and pieced me back together again.

In this exciting conclusion to the Devil You Know series, Byrne answers a few lingering questions from previous Red Rogue books. While this is a standalone, I'd recommend reading 'How to Love a Duke in 10 Days' and 'All Scot and Bothered' first for maximum impact. All three books in this series are stellar.

The final trio of the Red Rogues gets her match in spectacular fashion. Francesca aka Pippa gets her revenge and her man. Like the others she is fierce and determined to bring those who have wronged her and her family to justice. Chandler aka Declan is a ruthless spy with many secrets. This story is an awesome page turner. The energy and emotions of the characters are bubbling off the page. You will enjoy the fiery arguments that occur between Francesca and Chandler which lead to steamy make out sessions. This is really a great book which you will enjoy reading and adding to your collection.

I am not totally sure where to start this review... let's start with what I liked: The prose. Kerrigan Byrne has an incredible talent and command of language and that shone through this story. Unlovable characters. Sometimes my favorite characters are those that no one could possibly tolerate let alone like. Both of these characters are wildly unlikable.

What I didn't like: this entire story hinged on secrets and that withholding information in what felt like an incredibly damaging way. The way it wrapped up felt forced and fast and I didn't feel like either character got what they deserved or wanted. I don't want to spoil anything so if you have read it please come talk to me about it!

I am super disappointed. I had to drag myself through this ARC. This was one of my most anticipated 2021 releases from a beloved author and it was definitely lukewarm for me at best. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Tropes: childhood friends to lovers, spies in love, revenge plot, secret societies, living in hiding,
Subgenre: historic romance/ Victorian
CW/ TW: violence, mentions of childhood trauma, manipulation

Wow! What a book! I can't help but compare the writing style in this book to the style of Robert Ludlum. The intrigue and mystery with violence that seems to seeth just under the surface. You just can't put this book down. It begins with a massacre of a family on a clear, sunny day. A young girl survives and redefines herself as an heiress of the massacred family, but not only that she is out for vengance. Francesca Cavendish is a woman on a mission to avenge the deaths of her family and her childhood sweetheart Declan. She finds out that like her Declan, now Chandler, survived the massacre and is a spy for the government. This book is not your typical romance novel, but it has everything you could want in a book. There is romance, passion, mystery intrigue, and heartbreat. It is a nail-biter from the first page to the last!

I would like to thank Kerrigan Byrne and St. Martin's for allowing me to read and review this book.

I LOVE Kerrigan Byrne and loved the first book in this series so much. I was very excited about the hints of Chandler and Francesca, but it fell just a little flat for me. The mixed identities was a fun idea but muddled up the romance for me in this story. I can't decide if it was too fast or too slow or too busy, but something just didn't connect.

I loved the friendship between the Red Rogues and the hints we got at the other two girls. I really enjoyed the intrigue and little bit of mystery with the Council and their past. But just wanted more.

Chandler Alquist lives in secret service to the Crown--a man of duty, deception, and an undeniable attraction to a woman who threatens to tear his whole world apart. They call him the Devil of Dorset. He stands alone, a man of undeniable power. Moving in and out of shadows, back alleys and ballrooms, he is unstoppable and one of the Crown's most dangerous weapons. However, when he sets his sights on the undeniably beautiful Countess of Mont Claire, Francesca Cavendish, he doesn't realize that he has met a match like no other. Francesca is a countess by day and stalks her prey--those responsible for the death of her family--by night.
This is the third book in the series & I’d been eagerly awaiting it & boy it didn’t disappoint. The beginning had me breathless & I'm SOO glad I started it early in the day as I just devoured it in two sittings. Wonderful characters & a story that never lags & will leave you not only on the edge of your seat but breathless. I’d loved both Francesca & Chandler in previous books but they both came into their own in this book. Their chemistry was electric, the sexual tension was palpable, the verbal bantering hugely entertaining. There are twists, turns & revelations that will leave you gasping. A brilliant read. My only quibble was there wasn't an epilogue to round off the series – I adore an epilogue & if I’ve been invested in characters then I feel that one completes the book & series.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

This third installment in the Devil You Know series was a delight.

"All I know is that if I am a spy, a scoundrel, or an earl, none of it matters. I am no one if I am not hers. And I have nothing, if she is not mine.” - Chandler

Francesca has been seeking the revenge of her childhood best friend, as well as her childhood love for most of her life. She was willing to do anything to take down the Crimson Council. Little did she know that the one person who could disrupt everything was none other than a spy on the same mission.

Chandler is a man of many faces and names, but he was always drawn to Francesca. He's known her since they were kids. But, this Francesca seems different than the damsel he remember from his boyhood days. He will do everything he can to discover who she really is.

I love how this series handles various different kinds of trauma. This one focuses on the deep grief these kids felt, and how it influenced their futures as adults.
Kerrigan Byrne proves once again she is a master of her craft. I can't wait to see what comes next.